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UK heatwave: Britain soars towards hottest day ever as Met Office says all-time record of 38.5C could be broken

Forecasters predict the mercury could reach 37C (98.6F) in the south east on Friday - before thunderstorms provide slight relief from the scorching heatwave

Danny Boyle

26 July 2018 • 5:39 AM

Sweltering Britain is soaring towards what could be the hottest day ever, as trains are delayed to prevent tracks from buckling in the heat and reservoirs run dry.

The Met Office said Friday could be the UK's warmest July day as temperatures are expected to rise to at least 37C (98.6F), with the possibility the all-time heat record of 38.5C (101.3F) will be broken.

But thunderstorms are expected to provide slight relief from the scorching heatwave. After weeks without rain, torrential downpours are due to hit parts of Britain from Friday afternoon, with as much as 30mm (1.2in) expected to fall in just an hour.

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Sweltering Britain is soaring towards what could be the hottest day ever, as trains are delayed to prevent tracks from buckling in the heat and reservoirs run dry.

The Met Office said Friday could be the UK's warmest July day as temperatures are expected to rise to at least 37C (98.6F), with the possibility the all-time heat record of 38.5C (101.3F) will be broken.

But thunderstorms are expected to provide slight relief from the scorching heatwave. After weeks without rain, torrential downpours are due to hit parts of Britain from Friday afternoon, with as much as 30mm (1.2in) expected to fall in just an hour.

With a chance of hail and strong winds alongside the torrential downpours, the temperature could drop back to the high 20s, the Met Office said.

Temperatures reached a high of 32C on Wednesday as the warm weather continued in parts of the UK.

Wisley, Surrey, was the warmest place in the UK, while the lowest temperature of 4.2C was recorded in Braemar, Aberdeenshire.

A high of at least 37C (98.6F) is forecast for London and the south-east on Friday.

The all-time UK high is 38.5C set in August 2003 in Kent, while the highest recorded temperature for July is 36.7 C at Heathrow on July 1, 2015.

Zoo 'evacuated' as grass fire rages in Sussex

A popular zoo in Sussex appears to have been evacuated after a huge fire sent smoke billowing into the tourist attraction.

Footage posted on social media showed visitors to Drusillas Park in Alfriston, East Sussex, leaving the zoo with their clothes covering their mouths as thick smoke was sent skywards.

Photographs showed huge flames ripping their way through arid farmland and there was growing concern for the animals at Drusillas, which is home to meerkats, red pandas, lemurs, monkeys and llamas.

Fire rages in Sussex
Credit: Twitter/Shannen Katie

Farmers expressed their worry and roads were closed in the surrounding area as the fire department dealt with the fire.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue told The Telegraph it was too early to tell whether or not the fire was deliberately started and locals have been warned to close their windows and doors because of the smoke.

Firefighters were called to the scene off Alfriston Road in Berwick at 2.55pm. Motorists have been told to avoid the A27 - the main trunk road that connects East and West Sussex.

Sussex Police said they had been "made aware" of the incident, and urged drivers not to pull over to take pictures, although the force has not been officially sworn in to help.

Workers in the local area also reported being evacuated.

Thunderstorms could bring flash floods and power cuts

Thunderstorm warnings are in place for parts of northern and eastern England and the Midlands for Friday, with people warned of flash flooding, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

This could lead to flooding of homes and businesses, difficult driving conditions and potential power cuts.

Paul Gundersen, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "The heatwave conditions will continue across much of England, with temperatures into the mid to high-30s Celsius in many places from the Midlands eastwards on Thursday and Friday and it's possible that we could break the all-time UK record of 38.5 C if conditions all come together."

Mr Gundersen added: "There is the chance of thunderstorms breaking out over some eastern parts of England on Thursday, but it is Friday when we see intense thunderstorms affecting many central and eastern areas.

"Whilst many places will remain dry and hot, the thunderstorms on Friday could lead to torrential downpours in places with as much as 30mm of rainfall in an hour and 60mm in 3 hours.

"Large hail and strong, gusty winds are also likely and combined could lead to difficult driving conditions as a result of spray and sudden flooding."

Nurses have warned that some hospital wards have reached more than 30C (86F), leading to patients and relatives passing out or vomiting.

The Local Government Association said social workers, community wardens and maintenance staff are all on high alert to identify those who could be struggling in the heat.

And pet owners have been urged to avoid exercising their dogs and other animals in the hottest parts of the day due to the risk of burnt paws on scorching pavements, as well as the chance of heatstroke.

Water supplies at Llwyn Onn reservoir in South Wales are among those that are severely depleted
Credit: Andrew Bartlett/Alamy Live News

As the harvest begins early in many places following the driest first half of summer on record, farming leaders warned crops are being hit.

They added that reservoirs for watering vegetables were running dry and livestock owners were having to use winter feed for their animals as summer grass had withered away.

Meanwhile, the heatwave has also seen a day's play lost in the India warm-up match against Essex. The fixture will now be a three-day affair following concerns about the prolonged hot weather.

Trains delayed to prevent tracks from buckling

Chiltern Railways trains between London and Oxford are being rescheduled between noon and 6pm each day until Friday because of high track temperatures.

Trains from Oxford will depart 10 minutes earlier than normal, while those arriving in Oxford are expected to be 10 minutes late.

Speed restrictions were also introduced by Northern on Tuesday and Greater Anglia on Monday because of the soaring temperatures.

Cutting the speed of trains reduces the forces they exert on the track, making it less likely to buckle.

A buckled rail usually causes delays and cancellations as the line needs to be closed while engineers wait until the temperature drops to carry out repairs.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail, the Government-owned company responsible for maintaining Britain's rail infrastructure, said: "On very sunny days, rails in direct sunshine can be as much as 20C above air temperature causing the steel to expand markedly and could, if not carefully monitored and action taken, buckle causing travel disruption.

"Our engineers and specialist extreme weather teams are monitoring track-side temperatures and vulnerable locations and will, if necessary, introduce temporary speed restrictions during the hottest part of the day to keep trains running, albeit more slowly than normal."

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Britain's driest half of summer on record

The UK has seen the driest half of summer on record, with just 47mm (1.85 inches) of rain between June 1 and July 16.

The Met Office said several places have had 54 consecutive dry days, starting on May 30, including a few which have had less than 1mm (0.04in) of rain in the entire 54-day period - the longest spell since 1969, when 70 days passed with no significant rainfall.

The longest run of days with no rain at all this summer so far is 48 days at Brooms Barn, near Bury St Edmunds, since June 5.

Conditions this week have been nearer normal for the time of year in Northern Ireland and western Scotland, which are seeing lower temperatures and rainy spells.

Britain swelters in heatwave, in pictures

Callaghan White, eight, and Camilla Ellwood, 11, play in the sea at Hill Head beach in Hampshire
Credit: Solent News & Photo Agency

The sun sets over London's skyline as an amber 'heat health watch' warning remains in place for parts of England
Credit: Tom Nicholson/LNP

A woman leaves the water after a morning swim in the Serpentine in London
Credit: HANNAH MCKAY /Reuters

A woman rides a horse through a dusty Hyde Park in London
Credit: HANNAH MCKAY /Reuters

A couple enjoy the morning sun from a deck chair at St James's Park in central London on Wednesday
Credit: Gustavo Valiente/i-Images

As Tube tops 40C, passengers told air conditioning will be installed... by 2030

Overheated London Underground passengers have mocked officials who reassured them that air conditioning will be installed - in 12 years.

Temperatures on the Central Line have hit 40C during the heatwave - above the 30C maximum temperature at which cattle can legally be transported.

Thermal imaging by company Flir showed the extent of the heatwave on the Underground. Commuters have complained temperatures are dangerous for the elderly and children, as well as those who are unwell or pregnant.

Central Line officials were widely mocked for their response.

How much water should you drink to avoid dehydration?

A leading surgeon has recommended people drink three litres of water a day and said a "radical culture change" towards drinking water is required to help the country stay hydrated during the heatwave.

Bhaskar Somani, a consultant urological surgeon at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said attitudes towards water consumption "remained poor" even among those at higher risk of health problems.

He said: "We should take this opportunity to remind people that consumption of three litres of water a day is a small price to pay to help maintain and improve your health, particularly during heatwave spells such as the one we are in right now."

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He spoke out following a study of 162 patients who received treatment for kidney stones - for which poor hydration is a significant risk factor - at Southampton General Hospital.

It found less than a third (28 per cent) increased their water intake, despite receiving advice after treatment on the need to drink 2.5 to 3 litres a day, particularly in the summer months, with the average intake of water at around 1.5 litres.

Almost a quarter (22 per cent) said the reason for avoiding water was because they did not like the taste, while 26 per cent blamed their habits and 10 per cent said they only drank when thirsty.

Why is it so hot? Your questions answered

What has triggered this heat?

In the short term, the current weather phenomenon can be attributed largely to the position and the strength of jet streams - fast moving air typically five to seven miles above the Earth's surface. Such jet streams are crucial to bringing in new weather systems.

What does that mean?

Becky Mitchell, meteorologist at the Met Office in Exeter, said: "The jet streams are not very strong to the north of the UK. When the jet stream is like that, it means we're under a period of high pressure, currently drawing up hot and humid air from France."

What causes a low jet stream?

Sometimes it is just a feature of the weather at the time. However, this prolonged period of dry and very warm weather will inevitably cause scientists to look at the long-term impact global warming is having on the planet.

What would ordinarily be happening across the UK at this time of year?

Again, when the jet stream is further south it means cooler weather systems are able to come in from the Atlantic. That is not happening at the moment, hence the extended period of hot temperatures.

Will we have much more of this?

In short, yes. It is probably fair to say that things will get worse (that is to say, hotter) before they get better. And it's all building towards Friday being the hottest day of the year, with temperatures expected to hit 36C (96.8F) in the south east before dropping back to the high 20s again. Interestingly, despite the driest start to summer since 1961, the previous three years have each had a top temperature exceeding 33.3C (91.9F), the record high for 2018 so far.

Any chance of rain?

Succour is on its way. Thunderstorms are expected in parts of eastern and northern England on Friday, according to the Met Office, with a chance of hail and strong winds alongside the torrential downpours.

But will it actually make any difference?

The volume and persistence of the rainfall will have a variable impact on the overall temperature. Extended periods of very hot and dry weather mean the ground has itself been heated - a light shower is going to do little to change that. Nor is it likely to fill the reservoirs, which are in desperate need of a top-up. But many gardeners and farmers are crying out for rain. Any cooling of the temperatures will be particularly welcomed by dog walkers, who have been forced to take their pets out very early in the morning or late at night when the temperatures have dropped to something less punishing.